Love Potion
by KraziKrysti
Summary: The other girls are annoyed that James is concentrating solely on Lily.Deciding that the only way he’ll start dating them again is if Lily is pissed off with him so much he’ll NEVER get back in her good books they feed her a love potion...one shot.


LOVE POTION.

Disclaimer: not mine

Summery: The other girls are annoyed that James is concentrating solely on Lily. Deciding that the only way he'll start dating them again is if Lily is pissed off with him so much he'll NEVER get back in her good books they feed her a love potion…

xxXXxx

Lily woke up and stretched before looking at her clock. 6.42. She wasn't usually up this early but today she had a burning need to pamper herself and make herself look good. This was unusual on a Wednesday morning but her room mates didn't notice, to busy rushing through their usual beautifying rituals.

xXx

Lily was smiling as she crossed the great hall towards the Gryffindor table where she spotted James. Redirecting herself she walked over to him and stopped. The marauders all stopped and looked at her.

"We aren't plotting anything Lily." James sighed. Lily squeezed in between James and Remus before turning to James.

"James, I love you!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around James's neck. The marauders sat stunned for a minute.

"Um, Lily? What are you doing?" James asked trying to get her to let go.

"Hugging the one I love." She replied.

"Lily please let go…I can't breathe!" James muttered Lily who eminently let go.

"It looks like a love spell." Remus muttered.

"I'd better talk to McGonagall." James muttered starting to get up but Lilly grabbed him in a hug once more. There was a giggle form further down the table and Sirius looked over. A group of James's fan girls were giggling at the fool Lily was making of herself.

"It's defiantly a love potion, and I know who gave it to her." He pointed down the table. James looked at where he was pointing and saw his least favourite Gryffindor girls.

"They…" he started trying to get up.

"Wait!" exclaimed Remus and James looked at him.

"Talk to McGonagall, they obviously don't think you'd figure they did it, it does seem a bit strange that your fan girls give the girl you love a love potion to make her love you back you back." Sirius told him.

"No it's not; when Lily snaps out of it she's going to blame it all on me right off. She'd hate me more than ever; I'd have less of a chance than I do now." James explained

"I love you." Lily added with a smile. James looked at the others and nodded.

"I'll distract them." Sirius nodded over to the girls who were still giggling, before getting up and distracted.

"Lily I need to talk to McGonagall…" James started

"I'll come too!" she butted in James nodded and looked at the others.

"See you in a sec." he muttered getting up with Lily and headed over to the teacher table.

"Professor McGonagall? We, I need to have word with you…privately please." James looked so serious and had never asked to talk to her privately before. She got up and indicated the portrait room.

"What is it Mr. Potter, Miss. Evans?" she asked but before James could say anything Lily piped up.

"I love James." She smiled; McGonagall blinked and looked at James.

"She's been fed a love potion professor, by these girls who want her to hate me…more." James explained.

"Ok lets see what we can do." McGonagall pulled a vial out of her robes and waved it under Lily's nose. Nothing happened so McGonagall tapped the vial with her wand and did the same thing again. Still nothing happened and she sighed.

"Nothing can be done, James. The only way to get it to stop is to let it run it's course. This may be a few months at most…you will have to help her with her work and let her do what ever she wants." McGonagall glared at him "Within reason." She added. "Now you better get to lessons. I'll be having words with the ones responsible and with the other teachers." McGonagall nodded and left.

xXx

Lily yawned and turned over; snuggling up to her teddy…that was suddenly warm, human sized and smelt of cinnamon and coconuts. She opened her eyes and screamed.

"POTTER WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED!" at her yell James woke up and fell out of the bed.

"Oh good, she's back. Never thought I'd be glad to see yelling Lily, but fan girl Lily was far too annoying." Lily heard a mumble.

"MY bed, Lily, MY bed." James yawned and rubbed his butt.

"Nice top Lily." Another voice said. Lily looked down and found out she was wearing a spaghetti top which said 'I love James Potter' on the front and a pair of hot pants with JP in a heart on them, to top it off it was cold and that was all she was wearing . She gasped and grabbed the duvet to cover herself.

"Potter what the hell have you done to me? What am I wearing? When I tell McGonagall you are so going to be in trouble!" Lily screeched.

"She knows. You were given some love potion by Marry and the others. And you asked what I'd prefer you to wear, that or a skimpy lace thing." James made a face.

"Don't you remember? Thanks to James you haven't made a fool of your self these past few months!" exclaimed Sirius Lily glared at him before looking at James. She pulled his duvet off of the bed and stormed out. James sighed and got up, he created a new duvet and climbed back in bed.

"She still hates me doesn't she?" James sighed.

"'Afraid so." Remus yawned as he turned over in bed. James had problems getting to sleep after two months of having Lily with him.

xXx

Lily stormed back to her room, like she was going to believe that James hadn't done that! Halfway up the stairs she collapsed and the memories of the past two months assaulted her consciousness.

xx-memory-xx

"Lily!" called a voice and Lily turned around.

"Oh, hello Mary, what's up?" Lily asked.

"Oh, not much, look, my mum just sent me these chocolates, I REALLY don't like them but I heard you did. Please, don't tell anyone else you have them, she knows a lot of mothers and she'll get offended that I didn't eat them." Mary replied

"Oh, sure. Um thanks, I'll save them for one of my binges." Lily smiled "No one'll know I had them then." Mary eyed Lily then smiled at her. Before running off to her lesson.

xx-memory-xx

"Jamie, can I come to your lesson with you?" Lily begged James. James looked at Lily fondly before kissing her forehead.

"No hon., you have to go to Ancient Runes, you need to pay attention and get good marks for your future." James told her softly. Lily got annoyed

"I'm not a child! Anyway, I know my future, I'm going to be your housewife!" Lily beamed proudly.

"I know you aren't a child, but I want you to get the best marks in all your lessons. I don't want just a house wife, I'd like to work with my wife." James smiled

"But who will look after the children?" Lily asked and James looked shocked before recovering.

"Well, I'd want my wife to myself for a few years." James raised his eyebrows suggestively. Lily giggled and poked him. "So you better go get good marks missy!" James growled into her hair. Lily kissed James nose and dashed off to her lesson.

xx-memory-xx

"Jamie, I'm going to sleep with you. I know you said you were a very firm believer of 'no sex before marriage' and that those saying they slept with you are lying and I don't mean like that. I'm just having problems sleeping without you." Lily smiled.

"Well, uh, Lily…" James started.

"you don't have a choice. Now which do you think is better. This," Lily held up a small lace like night dress that wasn't really there. James's throat worked

"Or this?" Lily held up what looked like a top and shorts with 'I love James' on the front.

"That one, as they say, less is more…or…in this case…m ore is less…" Lily accepted that as an answer and skipped off.

"Padfoot, she's like a the others, I know it's not the real her but she's beginning to annoy me." James muttered as Lily left.

"Well look on the bright side, you might stop liking her." Sirius patted James on the back, James looked at him

"You cant fall out of love Padfoot, no matter how annoying the other person is…"

xx-memory-xx

"Lily, you're grades aren't as good as they were, they used to be as good, if not better than mine." James crawled over to Lily.

"You do know that I need a girl as smart as me at least." He growled at her before tickling her. She giggled hysterically, being highly ticklish.

"For the conversation you understand." James smiled down at her. Lily lent up to kiss James. He danced back.

"Nuh uh!" he laughed. Lily pouted

"But I want to kiss you." She muttered

"You've gotta wait till the right moment." He told her, finger wagging.

"When's the right time?" Lily asked looking at him

"we'll find out." He whispered with a wink.

xx-end-memory-xx

Lily stirred and woke up. She shivered, discovering the duvet had fallen off of her. She pulled it over herself and attempted to stand, her leg collapsed under her and she fell down the few remaining steps with a grunt of pain. She heard foot steps and tried to hide but she spotted James and stopped. James spotted her at the same time.

"Hey Lil, wotcha doing down there?" James asked eyebrow raised. Lily mumbled something.

"What?" James asked stepping closer.

"I fell." Lily blushed. James rushed over.

"Oh! Murlin! Are you ok?" he asked, worry all over his face.

"Um, no. my leg hurts." Lily muttered James tried to move the duvet to look but Lily hit him.

"Oy!" she yelled. James blinked at her.

"Well if you won't let me look and you can't walk on it I'll have to carry you." James told her

"Who said I can't walk on it?" she demanded

"Well, you wouldn't be sitting there like that if you could." James raised an eyebrow at her. Lily muttered for a second.

"Oh all right, if you must." She glared at him. James hesitantly moved forwards and picked her up. As they neared the hospital wing he stopped.

"Pink or blue?" he asked.

"Pink. Wait, why?" she demanded. James moved his arm slightly and Lily was in a pair of warm pink flannel pyjamas.

"You were shivering. I can only do pink pyjamas or blue jumpers and jeans." James blushed

"Not one of my strongest points." He muttered.

"Oh…" Lily blushed too

"Thanks." She smiled

"What are you two doing out of bed at this hour!" demanded Madame Pomfrey looking at them with a raised eyebrow.

"Lily's hurt her leg Madame!" James exclaimed Madame Pomfrey lost her strange look

"Well then, my dear boy, get her inside!" she exclaimed.

xXx

"Broken!" Lily exclaimed hobbling out of the hospital wing, followed by James carrying his duvet.

"Well, she fixed it didn't she?" James asked

"She can fix anything that woman." He nodded confidently.

"And you would know." Lily nodded.

"Yeah…hey!" James stopped and glared at her. Lily giggled and continued on her way. James followed once more.

"Oh." Lily stopped and James bumped into her before falling over.

"Sorry!" James exclaimed jumping up. Lily smiled at him.

"Thank you." She muttered softly.

"Huh?" asked James looking at her. She blushed

"Thank you for what you've done. I've remembered some of the last few months and I know it wasn't you who gave me the potion." She said quietly.

"Hey no problem. I'm just glad you don't hate me as much as you were about to." James smiled at her and they continued walking.

"So…how much of a fool did I make of myself?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"Um not much actually, you were sort of willing to do everything I said if I gave a good enough reasons so you're marks are still reasonable and you didn't do much but follow me around in public. I'd told you I didn't like public displays. So actually less people are aware than you'd think." they reached the Gryffindor common room and stopped. James smiled at Lily

"A few people think you've just gained an unhealthy obsession with me." He added with a sigh.

"I don't know how we'll sort that one out." James scratched his head.

"We could say it was a bet…" he muttered, thinking.

"But there's no way you'd have agreed to those stakes." He mumbled, screwing his face up in concentration. Lily laughed at him.

"Well if WE lost a bet…" Lily muttered.

"If it was something we were so sure of but we were wrong…"

"If we lost a bet?" James asked.

"Why the hell would we have sided with each other?" James inquired

"You NEVER agree with me." Lily blushed

"If it was something to do with Sirius…like him not dating for a week or something." She thought out loud.

"I guess so, but hey, if we lost and that was your thing…what's mine?" James's face fell

"Leave you alone for two months right?" he asked. Lily suddenly felt bad, she suddenly decided she didn't want James to leave her alone. Shaking her head, sure it was the lasting effects of the potion, she thought.

"No…you're right, you wouldn't have sided with me for that, you would probably have been sure he could do it." she muttered James opened his mouth.

"That'd probably work. If I bet Sirius he couldn't not date some one for a week and he won he'd have said I'd have to date you or something…hmmm." Lily thought.

"He would probably have, but if he was annoyed enough he would have said something similar to you acting like you really like me or something. Wait, why do we have to think that up? Just say you lost a bet with Sirius!" James grinned proudly at Lily who patted his head.

"That'll work nicely!" she decided. Realising her hand was still on James's head she blushed, though didn't remove her hand. She attempted to flatten James's hair.

"Never lies flat." He muttered

"Not even when wet."

"Doesn't mean you have to fluff it up annoyingly." Lily muttered softly.

"I fluff up my hair? It's annoying? Ok, I'll stop." James told her

"No…" Lily whispered

"Don't…it's…part of you." She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Ok." He muttered they stood looking at each other until a third year thundered down the stairs and out of the portrait hole for breakfast. Lily and James jumped and looked away from each other.

"I, err guess we should go to breakfast." Lily was blushing.

"Should probably get dressed James muttered." Looking down at his pyjamas.

"Yeah, see you in a sec." Lily dashed up the stairs to her dorm. James walked up the stairs to his, a broad grin on his face.

"What's with you?" asked Sirius with a yawn as James started to get dressed.

"You look like Lily was nice to you."

"She was." James pulled a shirt over his head. At his words there was a thump as Sirius fell out of bed.

"WHAT!" he demanded from the floor.

"See you later." James dashed down the stairs and reached the bottom at the same time Lily did. She almost bumped into his chest, she blushed as she suddenly remembered what he looked like shirtless.

"Oops." James muttered

"Hello." He grinned

"Lets go eat." He added offering his arm. Lily eyed it suspiciously before accepting it. James smiled at her and they argued good naturedly all the way down to the great hall and throughout breakfast.

xXx

"Lily? Are you coming to Hogsmeade?" James asked sitting down next to her. She looked up from her essay

"I can't, I'm having problems with this essay." She mumbled. James lent over.

"Transfiguration." He muttered

"What's it on?" he asked

"Animagi." Lily muttered flicking through a book. James laughed and she looked at him.

"I can help you with that! Then fancy having a butter beer?" he asked her. She glared at him suspicious.

"Ok…" Lily muttered, weary.

"Well first off, this book is complete crap." James picked up the book Lily was reading and put it on a chair. He looked through the piles of books spread out over the table and muttered to himself.

"Hang on a sec, I have a book upstairs you'll fine useful." James ran over to the stairs leading to the boys dorms.

"Heh Prongs, coming to Hogsmeade?" asked Peter gleefully.

"I've gotta do something first guys, I'll see you there k?" James replied jogging up to their dorm. Sirius shrugged and headed out the portrait hole, followed by Peter and Remus. James returned with a book and Lily accepted it from him with a quiet thank you.

"Page 69 has exactly what you need on it." He smiled at her. She opened the book and raised her eyebrows at James. With a small smile aimed at James Lily began to jot down the information she needed. Once she was done she grinned at him.

"Thanks." She smiled

"Took less time than I thought." She muttered

"Helps if you know where to look." James grinned

"Can I borrow this?" she asked holding up the book.

"Sure!" James nodded.

"Thank you, I'll go get my coat." Lily picked up her essay and her books and headed up to her dorm.

xXx

Lily sat next to Sirius as James headed over to the bar.

"You two seem to be getting on well." Sirius raised an eyebrow at her. Lily blushed.

"Well, he was tremendously nice to me when I'd been nothing but mean to him." Lily muttered. She spotted Mary and the others at a table in the corner, watching James.

"And he wouldn't ever give me love potion for personal gain." She said, voice hard as she watched her old friends swoon as James walked by.

"For some reason I feel like we've been friends forever." Lily blushed as James gave her a butter beer. Sirius winked at her as she took a swig. It had been two weeks since the potion had worn off. After a heated argument had broken out between Lily and her 'friends' (Mary and the others who have given her the potion) she had melted back into the folds of the Marauder group, after two months clinging to James and going everywhere with them it was felt all around that she fitted. More so in the past two weeks because she was no longer just sitting and gazing at James, she was joining in the conversations. She was still wary of them however, even though they had stopped all disruptive behaviour to a degree. They still got up to mischief every now and then.

"Hello boy's, having fun?" Mary asked swaggering up to the table, completely ignoring Lily. Lily glared at her. Mary sat very close to James who immediately moved away from her, closer to Lily.

"We were." He said coolly glaring at her.

"Now now, what's that for?" she purred at him, Sirius noticed Lily's glare deepen

"We were wondering if you'd like to come to a little party we're having." Mary smiled around at the boys.

"Just you and us." She raised her eyebrows seductively and moved close to James again.

"Well what do YOU think love?" James asked turning and throwing an arm around Lily's shoulders with a wink only she and the guys saw. Lily grinned at James and snaked an arm around his waist.

"I don't know, they're not my type." She mused. Mary's face became a twisted mask of anger.

"You malicious conniving bitch…" Mary started but Sirius shot out of his chair.

"You are out of order." He said coolly

"I suggest you leave right now." He growled. Mary looked startled but stood up and left in a hurry, while glaring at Lily. They all watched them leave until Lily started laughing. She muffled her laughter in James's coat. Once Mary and the others had left Lily let go of James and giggled into her knees. James grinned down at her while Peter, Remus and Sirius muttered about jealous girls. Lily stopped laughing and looked up at James with a smile. He kissed her on the nose suddenly, making them both blush. Luckily no one seemed to notice. After they'd finished their drinks they headed out into the town.

"I need to go to Honeydukes, my supply is low." Sirius piped up

"Especially after that Dementor lesson!" laughed James. Sirius nodded and they all headed to Honeydukes. After an hour exploring all that the store had to offer they left the shop, pockets full and money bags lighter.

"I need a book." Remus muttered.

"Excellent! I wanted to check the new stock anyway." James exclaimed

"Yeah, getting a few more books was on my agenda too." Sirius grinned. Lily was surprised. As she followed them into the shop. But then she decided they shouldn't be, they had to get their spells somewhere. Peter muttered something and ran off down a book case corridor.

"Probably after a book on rats." Sirius laughed, Remus and James grinned and they all separated, going in different directions. Lily decided to get a few more books on the subject of animagi, not completely satisfied with the knowledge she had of them and so headed off to find some books. Once she'd found a few satisfactory books she headed over to the counter. Remus was receiving his change and clutching a bag close to himself. She smiled at him as she reached the counter. He muttered something about Sirius and disappeared between the rows of book cases. Lily bought her books then went to look for James. She found him with his nose in a book muttering to himself. Ever so often there was an exclamation of

"AhHA!" and he would turn the page and mutter once more.

"Interesting read?" Lily asked making him jump

"You're supposed to buy a book before reading it." she scolded with a grin. James looked sheepish.

"I will buy it, but it's too interesting not to read at the same time." He muttered. Lily lent over and read the title.

"'Advanced spells benefiting Aurors' planning on being and Auror?" she asked

"I don't know yet but it never hurts knowing this stuff. Hang on a sec." James reached up and grabbed a book from the top shelf, Lily couldn't see if it had a title but it was encased in dark leather.

"This is a useful book too." He muttered heading over to the counter spotting Sirius he hurried over

"Hey! Padfoot! Did you know that…" Lily couldn't hear what he said after that, they had started muttering to each other, taking books to the counter. Lily still didn't know what their nicknames meant and they simply smiled at each other when she asked. She looked around, James and Sirius were out of view. She reached up and just managed to grab a copy of the black book James had taken with him. There was no name on the cover so she opened it. the book made a sort of sighing noise as it opened and Lily almost dropped it. she turned the pages to discover it was written in a language she couldn't read. Admitting defeat she put the book back and headed to the front of the shop.

"Finally." Sirius muttered rolling his eyes with a grin.

"We need to start heading back." Remus muttered. Lily was confused. Remus had been so alive and was now very subdued and ill looking. James looked out the window.

"Yeah we should." he muttered. They all headed back towards Hogwarts muttering and laughing all the way. At dinner James, Sirius and Peter sat together but there was no sign of Remus. They ate quickly, all the time glancing at the ceiling. They dashed out of the hall with muttered

"See you later." To Lily. Lily watched them go, confused. Later she was unable to find them anywhere and not up to facing Mary and the others alone decided to sound proof and 'lock' the hangings around her bed as she settled down to read the book James had lent her. She quickly discovered parts of the book had been underlined and note had been added in the spaces around the text in four different hand writing styles. Towards the middle of the book Lily found a piece of parchment. On it was written:

J-deer

P-mouse

S-bear.

Deer had a neat line through it and was replaced with 'Stag' mouse had a neat line through it and was replaced with 'Rat' and bear was replaced with 'Dog'. At the bottom of the piece of parchment there were the letters MWPP.

"MWPP?" Lily muttered.

"Prongs." She whispered suddenly sitting up. She struggled to remember the others.

"Um Padfool, Moony and Worm-something." She muttered. She looked at the paper again and something in her mind put two and two together.

"J…stag…Prongs…" she muttered.

"Of course! It's WormTAIL! Rat! And Pad…foot for a dog…Moony? What's…" Lily jumped out of bed and unspelled the hangings on her way to the window. She threw it open and stuck her head out. It was cloudy but there was a lot of light. Somewhere on the grounds she heard a wolf howl.

"Moony." She whispered.

xXx

At breakfast the next morning James, Peter and Sirius all seemed to be dosing in their porridge. Lily smiled over at them and put the piece of parchment she'd found in the book in front of them. They blinked at it a few times before registering what it said.

"Crap." Peter squeaked

"Shit." Sirius growled. James just closed his eyes and sighed.

"What you going to do?" he asked Lily.

"So you ARE animagi? And Remus is a…" she looked around.

"Wolf?" James and the others nodded.

"How long?" Lily asked, emotions unreadable.

"He was bitten as a boy." Sirius said at the same time James said

"A few years now." Lily looked at them.

"But that's advanced magic! And you were what? Third years? Not to mention it's illegal!" she exclaimed

"Shh!" James quieted her

"It was for a reason. We were underage so it would never have been allowed, but we needed a way to help Moony with his transformations, they were getting worse for him, he hated himself more and more with each full moon, seeing what damage he could do and we couldn't let him do that, you know what he's like, nothing but gentle. I think he went along with the pranks so we wouldn't leave him, not realising that if we hadn't left him when we found out he was a 'wolf we weren't likely to leave him because he disagreed with something. You wont tell will you?" James's eyes begged her.

"I…you…does Dumbledore know!" she asked

"No." Sirius said. James looked up at the table. Dumbledore, it seemed, had been watching them. He inclined his head and turned to speak to McGonagall.

"I think he suspects." James told her softly.

"I won't tell." Lily whispered, looking away. Some one took her hand and she looked up.

"Thank you." James whispered a small smile on his lips.

"We're gonna be late!" yelled Peter jumping up from the table, and running out of the hall. Lily looked confused.

"5…4…3…2…1…" Sirius and James counted down. after the countdown Peter entered the hall once more.

"He does this every non lesson full moon." James grinned

"We don't have lessons today do we?" Peter muttered sitting down

"No Wormtail, not today." James yawned.

"So, we're up early why?" Peter asked

"Essays, revision…" Sirius started to list but Peter groaned and covered his ears with his hands. Lily grinned at James who was smiling at her. Lily suddenly blushed and looked away.

"Lily?" asked a smallish girl with dark hair said softly.

"Yes Alice?" Lily asked smiling kindly at the sixth year. Alice blushed and looked at the marauders. James quickly involved them in a conversation.

"I was wondering if we could have a sort of, well, ball for valentines, I know that's less than a month away but…it's Frank's last year and I want him to know I like him. And I had this idea, well people could write a bit about themselves on cards and send it to those they wanted to ask out. Then those receiving the cards could pick the one they like the sound of the most. I'm not sure how that'd work…" Alice frowned

"Just continue with your idea, and leave the spells to James and I." Lily winked at her.

"Ok, and it could be a masked ball, so you don't know who your date is…but you know how to ID them…some how…anyway at midnight you take off your masks! Oh…that sounded so much better in my head, the contacting is going to be hard…" muttered alice

"Not at all." James smiled at her and pulled out a piece of parchment. With a nudge Sirius did the same.

"Look." James pulled out a quill and wrote on his piece of parchment

'hello' James pointed to Sirius's parchment and words started to form.

Mr Prongs says: 'hello'. Sirius picked up James's quill and wrote.

'and to you'. Everyone looked at James's parchment

Mr Padfoot says: 'and to you'.

"T-there you are Alice, all set…well, I'll put it towards the teachers and prefects and get back to you." Lily smiled. Alice blushed and muttered a thank you before leaving.

((A/N: I can't be bothered to write the prep for the ball, it's all boring. Basically if you wanted to ask someone to the ball all you had to do was get an enchanted card and write on it who it was too and then something about your self without giving away who you were so that they could pick who they liked the most. The cards were a 2way thing so that once the date has been excepted they can 'confer' as to what to go as, the ball's couple's fancy dress, for example Romeo and Juliet, that way they could find their partners. If you didn't get a date to the ball you could turn up and find one there…))

Lily looked at her sparkly silver ball gown in the mirror and sighed. She wondered whose request, out of the many she had received, she had accepted. She assumed James had sent one because, even though he'd done nothing but smile at her lately, he had always asked her out when ever he had the chance. She wondered briefly what she would do if it her date turned out to be James, but brushed the idea away fast, not wanting to think of the implications that came with that thought. She pinned the last of her magiced blonde curls up and settled the matching silver mask over her eyes. Her glass slippers clicked on the floor as she twisted to see the back of her costume. It was bare backed and corseted at the same time, the skirts flaring out in a mound, draping all the way to the floor. She was going as Cinderella and couldn't wait to meet her Prince. She'd had numerous requests to join people at the ball but his had stood out the most. The idea of the card's had been to tell the person you were asking out a little about yourself, but he hadn't really and it intrigued her. While there had been the usual:

'You deserve the best and that's me!' (Lily had thought it was from James at first until she continued to read:

'I'm a five foot seven blonde who's into quidditch. I'm the best player at Hogwarts and I've seen you watch me…'

The only player she'd watched of late had been a certain dark haired Gryffindor, but she'd never admit that. Lily had decided the person was to into themselves and that five foot seven was to short for her Prince Charming, since she was five foot seven herself and required a guy taller than her. She firmly believed in the sayings of 'tall, dark and handsome' and a short blonde just wouldn't do.)

Her date's card had been the shortest and been the last to arrive. It simply read:

'Charming, I'm not always, but if you wish I shall be your Prince. You haven't seen much and I want to show you more.'

Lily looked at her clock and decided to head down to the ball a few minutes early. Instead of the usual first entrance by the head girl and boy (that would give away identities) everyone was to enter at 9pm and people were meeting their dates in different places around the castle before then. However Lily and her date were going to meet at 9 on the dot under the almost full moon on the enchanted ceiling. (Though Valentines Day was a few days away still it luckily fell on a school day which meant that Lily and James could organise the ball a few days early. This was a bonus because Valentines Day unfortunately fell on the same day as a full moon. Having an early ball meant the Marauders could go. Indeed if they hadn't suspicions would have been aroused.) Lily reached the entrance hall and looked at the couples waiting for the door. Lily's nerves started to go into over drive and she studied the masked faces around her, unable to recognise them. The doors to the great hall opened and people started to head into the great hall. Lily, breath held, went with the flow and looked around once inside. She located the full moon and headed towards it. As she got there she found someone already at the table.

"A-are you my Prince?" she asked softly and he looked at her before standing up.

"If you wish me to be, though Charming I am not always." He smiled as he walked around the table to her. He was dressed as Lily had always imagined Prince Charming to be, his hair was a dark brown but something in Lily told her it was usually darker and he was close to six foot, taller than her even with her heels on. He reached out a gloved hand and touched her blonde hair. She thought he was going to comment on it but he didn't.

"Care to dance?" he asked in a voice that caused shivers to run down her spine.

"Ok." She whispered back. As they got to the dance floor a slow song started. Lily blushed but stepped into the arms of her date. A familiar smell assaulted her senses but she couldn't place it. She settled with resting her head on his shoulder and just dancing. She felt strangely contented. As the song ended Prince Charming pulled back from her.

"Wish for a drink Cinderella?" he asked softly. Lily nodded and smiled up at him. His fingers brushed against her lips slightly before he turned and headed over to the punch bowl. Lily followed him and then to the table he'd originally sat at. They sat and drank their punch, watching each other. His eyes were shadowed but Lily could feel his gaze, she shifted slightly.

"Am I making you nervous?" he asked softly and Lily attempted to see his eyes. She shook her head softly, her earrings shaking slightly and he lent over.

"My nerves aren't exactly steady." He whispered in her ear and she shivered once more.

"Um, so…who are you?" Lily asked Prince charming smiled and tapped his wrist.

"Not time yet. Pick another question." He replied, in the same soft voice he'd used all evening.

"Ok…I'll pick a random one, snow or sun?" Lily flung her arms up in frustration, beginning to regret agreeing to the ball. Her date was affecting her like no one had before and she couldn't figure out why that was. Something was niggling at the back of her mind but she couldn't put her finger on it, it kept sliding away.

"Snow." He decided "Hmmm because it's more fun. More romantic too. You can play about in it, and then when you're cold you can snuggle up in front of the fire." He whispered, a smile playing over his lips. They too were in shadow but Lily could detect a hint of familiarity about them. She smiled at him.

"Your turn." She whispered over to him. He inclined his head, showing he'd heard and was simply thinking. An unreadable look passed over his features and he leaned in close once more. Lily wondered why she didn't mind him on her personal space.

"Here's a deep one for you. Loving someone and being happy forever or being madly, passionately head over heals in love with someone who's everything to you but every now and then arguing." He whispered. Lily knew there was more to his words but his face was more unreadable. She blinked her surprise before thinking about it.

"I'd have to say the second one." She whispered after a while.

"Because if I said the first one and then met someone who was everything to me I wouldn't be able to live without them." She smiled

"And never having an argument ever would be boring, besides the make ups would be…fun." Lily raised an eyebrow at Prince Charming who smiled lazily back.

"Not the good little girl people think you are." He said so softly she almost didn't hear. She blushed and he smiled.

"My sentiments exactly. Why be content when you can be fulfilled. I do believe it's your turn for a question." He said more loudly

"Um…what do you want to do when you've finished here?" Lily asked

"I don't have a specific job in mind yet, I'll wait until I have my results, but I want to help people." He replied looking away. Lily smiled softly.

"What do you fear the most?" he asked, still not looking at her. Lily thought about it.

"I…Being hurt." She replied.

"Finding someone who's my everything and telling them so, only to have them laugh at me and leave me in the dirt." She added suddenly, sounding lonely.

"You're scared of falling in love?" he was looking at her once more.

"Well, if you put it like that…" Lily mumbled. Suddenly her hands were in his and she couldn't look away from his eyes.

"But if you won't let your self fall in love you'll never…it's risky yeah, but if you don't take that chance you'll never have the wonder of…even if it isn't returned it's still the best feeling in the world." Prince Charming tried to explain. Lily looked at him.

"Favourite quote, or saying." She whispered

"'To the world you may only be one person, but to one person you may be the world." He replied immediately. Then he smiled.

"Want to dance again? This IS a ball after all." Lily grinned, suddenly no longer feeling sad. They glided onto the dance floor. Another slow song was playing and Lily gladly melted into Prince Charming's arms, her head on his shoulder once more. He moved his head to talk to her at the same time she moved slightly. Their lips brushed ever so slightly. And they stopped and gazed at each other.

"I know you don't I?" Lily asked. And he smiled slightly

"You like to think so, but I know you don't." he answered softly.

"You jump to the wrong conclusion often; I look forward to the day you'll let me prove to you when you're wrong." He smiled

"'You haven't seen much and I want to show you more.'" Lily quoted and he smiled at her.

"It was my turn for a question." He muttered

"So I get two. Lets see…do you believe in fate?"

"I believe everything happens for a reason." Lily replied, her brow wrinkled in concentration.

"And I believe everyone has a reason for being here and that one person's actions can change the whole world. If that's fate then yes." She added

"If you knew how long u had left to live what would you do?" he asked hesitantly. Lily thought.

"I would spend some time sorting out my thoughts and then I would do what they directed me to. I might even try that love you speak so highly of." She smiled

"It cannot be picked or bought, it just happens when you least expect it." he replied and Lily frowned softly.

"If you could have one thing, anything, what would it be." She asked him after a while

"From an unselfish perspective? My loved ones to be safe and happy." He answered

"And from a selfish perspective?" she asked hesitantly. He lent in

"Maybe I'll tell you later, if you're a good little girl." He whispered. She raised an eyebrow.

"I thought we established I wasn't a good little girl." She replied.

"All right then, only if you're a bad little girl." He amended with a laugh Lily almost recognised. She was refusing to listen to her brain and so the thought didn't get through.

"My dear students." Dumbledore called across the hall, white beard and hair obvious underneath the mask and costume.

"It is nearly time to reveal to you're partners who is under the mask, but first, I think, one more slow song." At his words another slow song started and Cinderella and Prince Charming started to dance once more.

"Cinderella, you wont run will you? Like a princess with a curfew?" Prince Charming whispered, his voice uncertain as the song began to end. She simply smiled and faced him, almost ready to listen to what her head was trying to say and her heart had known all along. As the last notes of music finished she pulled off her mask, her hair turning it's fiery red once more. All around her others were removing their masks and there were gasps of shock, screams of delight and yells of fright. Lily saw or heard none of it, her eyes fixed fiercely on the boy before her. Prince Charming's hands went to his mask but he paused. Lily stepped closer and slowly removed the mask. She smiled up, unsurprised into the face of James. In the last few moments before his mask was removed her defences had lost against what she had been trying to tell herself. His smell, his smile, the presence of his personality, the heat of his soul. She had recognised them all.

"I'm not running." She whispered up to him. Before grabbing his shirt at the front and pulling him down to her.

"From a selfish perspective?" she asked him. He looked into her eyes, searching for something he found.

"The world." He whispered, and Lily blinked.

"You're my world." he whispered so quietly in her ear she almost didn't hear.

"A simple 'you' would have sufficed." She muttered. The music had started again and those not upset with their dates were dancing once more, around James and Lily.

"We're wasting valuable time." She sighed. James looked confused. Lily smiled a small devilish smile.

"Only the world." She whispered before letting go of his shirt, wrapping he arms around his neck and kissing him. James's eyes widened even as his arms wrapped around her waist. She pulled back slightly and looked at him. The look in his eyes was unreadable.

"Let me love you." He muttered in the voice that made her shiver. She traced the outline of his features with her eyes and smiled.

"As long as we can be madly, passionately, head over heals in love with an argument thrown in every now and then." She whispered back, suddenly kissing his nose. He smiled.

"Knowing our track record it'll be nothing but arguments." He replied.

"As long as we make up afterwards I won't complain." She replied.

"Just…" she started to add.

"I'd never leave you in the dirt." He whispered before kissing her. Lily was glad she'd finally listened to James, and to her head and heart. He was right; being in love was the best feeling in the world, out matched by nothing but being loved back.

xXx

"Alice! How did the ball go for you?" Lily asked as she spotted the girl in the hallway a few days later. Alice turned around to look at Lily. A huge grin was on her face.

"Great! Frank and I are together! Thank you so much Lily!" Alice suddenly hugged Lily before blushing. Lily grinned

"Not at all, I found some profit in having the ball too." She replied watching James argue with Sirius. Alice watched her.

"You'd have figured it out eventually. You two argued so much that it was obvious you needed each other." Alice smiled.

"Argued?" Lily asked

"Argue, you mean. We had a row earlier." Lily smiled at Alice's look.

"Don't worry, we'll make up later." She grinned

"That's the best part!" she winked

A/N: there. Um, about 20 pages longer than I'd originally planned, lol, it was only going to be a short thing, but I kept having better ideas and they needed time to develop….there are probably iffy bits, probably a lot of iffy bits! I don't recommend writing at 3am! Yes I know it was obvious that it was James as Prince Charming, but it wasn't to Lily. Please tell me what you think etc by reviewing!


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